Protective cover for bathtubs and the like



Jan. 12, 1932. H, MCCANN 1,841,143

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE Filed April 1l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,s 4 7. s am im mw zsjlyzzys.

Jan.. 12, 1932. J, H, MOCANN 1,841,143

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @kwa Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ezmlm a.;

JOHN H. MCCANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PROTECTIVE COVER FOR'. BATHTUBS' AND THE LIKE Application led April f 11, 1930.

The invention relates to covers for porcelain, .marble or7 vitreouscoatedplunibing fixtures, such asbath tubs and t'he like, andimore particularly. to coversthatare adapted to be temporarily applied'ftothe fixtures,- for protecting the same Whilethefbuildingin which they are to be employed, isunder construction.` In the inajorityof instances, fixturesy ofv thisInature are installed prioryto the com- 105 pletion of the plastering or tile-setting in 15. tlie workmen; accordingly, it is desirable that 20; ering, withmeansto prevent' its unauthorizedl tliexrooni in=v which the fixture islinstalled, andiin some cases even'before tliepartitions are fiXedin position. Under such conditions the fixtures are likelyto become damagedby some form of covering be provided tovprevent such injury. The-primary objecty ofthis invention is to provide'aiiimprovedform yof protective covreinoval from the fixture for, ensuring the. lattery against damage by wilful abuse, neglect or carelessness during-construction work.

Another obj ectl is` to` 'produce an,l improved jprotective covering ofthe character nientioned designed and-arranged-for protectingV v substantially the entire exteriorly exposed surface: off the fixture.

A further. object; is towprovidean improved cover constructionV which issimple, strongv and durable, and: capable ofI being used over at proper locations so as tospace-tlie metal plate out of'contacu withthe finishedsurface of the fixture. VIt" isfalso` an; object 0f this invention toy provide' ani improved cover conf struction in which;the;fiexible padding; may

be detachably secured=to the metal protective covering elements,-` so as; t0 permit ready. replacement.'` The inventionconsistsin certain features and-elementsof construction incombination, as= herein showngand` described, and

as indicated v by ithe claims'- In the drawings V:g

Figure l` is; atop plan view` of af bath tub*l providedwithY a protective cover embodying the presentriiivention.

Serial No. 443,285.

Figure 2 is a front elevation with parts broken Y away and in section, showing the locking means iii dotted outline.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailview of the niain cover elementy showing the cover element adjusted away from the wall, and the padding folded back to permit finishing the surface of the wall.

Figure 5 is a detail section of the inter locking features of the protective shields, taken substantially asindicated at the line 5 5 on Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the cover element proper shifted laterally outward away from one of the walls toperinitfinishing the surface of the wall.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the shield or skirt for the front side of the tub.

Figure 8 isa perspective view ofthe shield or skirtfoi' protecting the end of the tub.

For the purpose of illustration, the present invention is shown in connection with a conventional bath tub, 10, of the corner type adapted to'be installed in a corner adjacent two contiguous walls, as indicated at l1, which may be understood to be rough or un-l finished. As is generally understood, the finished surface of the wall, as indicated by dotted line at llt, may be either plaster, tile, orl the like, andis applied so as to partially embedtlie adjacent edge portions of the tub, with the i'inal layer of the finished wall overlapping the outer niai'oinal portions ofthe tub, such as clearly shown in Figure Theprotective cover embodying the present` invention is usually applied to the tub prior to the surfacing-of the walls so as to ensure protection-of the-fixture substantiallyv from the day when it is installed until completion and final inspection ofthe building.

The protective covering for the corner type tub, as illustrated in the drawings, includes aniain cover portion, 13, diinensioned v to substantially enclose the cavity of the tub and? cverlie its upper marginal edges, and side and endsliields indicatedv at 14 and l5, respectively, adapted to be positioned for protecting the-laterally exposed'front and end surfaces of the tub. These shields or skirt portions are separate elements, and are wholly independent of each other, and are constructed to preclude lateral removal from the tub.

The side shield, 1l, includes a depending skirt, 14a, of fairly rigid metal plate dimensioned to substantially overlie the front surface of the tub, and has its upper edge con tinuing in a transverse portion, 14h, adapted to overlie the adjacent upper edge of the tub; preferably the lower edge of the skirt, 14a, terminates a short distance above the floor, A, and is formed with a flange, 14, to stiffen and reenforce the skirt plate. Rigidly secured to said side shield on the inner surface thereof are a pair of longitudinally spaced hook members, 17, having terminal portions, 17a, designed for snugly fitting against the inner surface of the tub, as may be seen in Figure 3 of the drawing, thus permitting placing or removal of the shield relative to the tub only in a vertical direction.

These hoolr members arepreferably in the nature of relatively rigid metalbars, and are completely encased in some suitable flexible padding, such as felt, as indicated at 18, so as to protect the finished surface of the tub against injury by the vdirect contact of the metal bars thereagainst. f

The end shield, 15, like the shield, 14, also includes a depending skirt of sheet metal, indicated at 15a, whose upper edge continues in a transverse portion, 15b, for overlying the adjacent upper edge of the tub, and with its lower edge terminating a short distance above the floor, All Since a tub of this particular design ordinarily is shaped with its exposed corner considerably rounded, particularly for the purpose of enhanced ornamentation and convenience both in manufacture and use, it is accordingly desirable that the end shield, 15, be designed with its depending slrirt formed with a correspondingly curved portion, as indicated at 15c so vas to lie relatively close to the external surface of the tub. Said end shield is also provided with a pair of spaced hook members, 19, having terminal portions, 19a, suitably formed for engaging the inner surface of the tub for precluding lateral removal therefrom. These hook members are of substantially7 the same construction as for the side shield, and are likewise encased in padding, 20, so as to protect the finished surface of the tub against injury.

Secured to the lower edges of the skirts, 145L and 15a, of the respective shields, 1l and 15, are strips of suitable flexible padding, such as felt, indicated at 22, preferably arranged on the inner surface of said skirts for protecting the remaining exposedfinished surface of the tub. yThe strips of flexible padding thus at `all times ensure absolute protection for the finished surface of the tub,

While permitting the workmen to fold the flexible padding back for their convenience in finishing the surface area of the floor adjacent the tub.

The end and side shields are preferably di- Y mensioned so as to terminate a short distance away from the walls, 11, and at these edges the shields are also providedy with flexible strips of padding, 22, which are adapted to be folded to permit the workmen to conveniently finish the adjacent wall area, while otherwise adequately. protecting that portion of the tub adjacent the walls. To ensure that the shields, 1l and 15, are properly supported with the metal portions thereof out'of direct contactwith the finished surface of the tub, I preferably. employ additional pads, as indicated at lld vand ld, respectively.

The main covering member, 13,V which is also of metal plate, is dimensioned so as to overlie the transverse portions, 149 `and 15b, respectively, of the two protective shields, as shown in Figure 1, with its marginal .edges terminating in spaced relation to the respective walls, 11. The marginal edo'es of this maincover element adjacent the walls are also provided'with strips of flexible felt padding, 22, so as to support the metal covering out of contact with the finished surface of the tub. As maybe seen in the drawings, this felt padding, 22, extends a substantial distance beyond the marginal edges of the cever element, and' to provide ample body for securement to the metal cover,a suitable metal reenforcing element, 23, is inserted in a loop or tube, 22a, formedof the felt padding, and the reenforced tube is detachably secured to the metal cover element by a splitrivet, 2li, which is embedded in the felt, as seen in Fig;- ure Ll, so that the rivet itself will not contact with the tub surface. lt may be herein men tioned that the strips of padd in fr employed cn the shields, 1l and 15, are of nilar tion so that the padding may be quickly detached therefrom to permit replacement, which is occasionallyV necessitated by reason of the fact that upon finishing the surfaces of the wall, some ef the materials employed may be dropped or spilled on the felt, causing it to curl, or shrink or become stiff and unfit for use on a subsequent installation. y

As may be seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, the main cover element, when applied, is positioned with the strip of felt adjacent the lengthwise edge of the cover folded npwardly against the rough wa l, and when it is desirable to finish said wall, the main cover element is shifted laterally outward in spaced relation to the rouOh wall, so that said felt strip will lie substantially flat, protecting the upper surface of the tub, as may be seen in Figure 5. Then the wall is to be finishedr the felt padding may be folded haclr as indie d in Figure Ll. The use' of felt padding' equivalent material is considered important,

because in cleaning uptiled walls, the surface is ordinarily wiped with acid or chemicals which may be injurious to the porcelain or enamelled surface of the tub, and this felt padding thus serves to protect the finally eX- posed tub surface from the acid, and tends to seal the cavity of the tub so as to prevent the acid from running into it and causing undesirable stains and blemishes.

To ensure that the covering for the tub shall effectively serve the purpose intended, it is preferable to lock it tothe fixture in a manner to prevent its unauthorized removal. As will be apparent from the drawinofs, the side and end shields, -14 and 15, are first put in place on the tub, and the main cover element, 13, is then positioned so as to engage the upper surfaces of said shields.

To hold the main cover against upward movement on the tub, I provide securing means on the under side thereof comprising an upwardly extending tie member, 25, having its lower end formed with a hook, 26, adapted to engage underneath the lower edge of the drain outlet, 27, and said tie member, 25, is connected by means of a turn buckle, 28, to a tie member, 29, which in turn is formed at its upper end with a hook, 29a, adapted to engage any convenient form of eye, and as shown, is an aperture, 30, in a depending leg of an angle member, 31, which is rigidly secured to the under side of the cover, 13.

Supplementing the tie member at the outlet end of the tub, I provide additional means for holding the cover down at the opposite end, which consists of a diagonal tie member, 32, having its lower end formed with a hook, 33, which embraces the tie member, 25, ]u st below an offset, 34, which is formed therein to provide a shoulder for holding the hook, 33, adjacent the lower end of the tie member, 25, and serves to preclude any tendency for it to climb upwardly when tension on the diagonal tie-member is applied. The tie member, 32, is connected by a turn buckle, 36, to a second tie member, 37, which iii turn is loosely engaged with a branched V-shaped member, 38, disposed with its apex in the eye, 37a, of the tie member, 37, and whose diverging arms terminate in hooks, 39. These hooks are adapted to be engaged in any suitable eyes on the under side of the cover, and as siiown, I secure angle rails, 40, to said under surface of the cover and provide apertures,

, 40a, in their depending leg portions to receive the hooks, 39.

These angle rails extend throughout a substantial portion of the length of the cover and serve to reenforce it against bending or buckling, since it is very likely such a cover will be used as a platform while the Walls adjacent the tub are being worked. upon.

Since the apertures, 40, are located, as shown, a substantial distance back from the ends of the members, 40, the force of the diagonal tie member upon the cover will be transmitted by the rigidity of the members, 40, to points adjacent the extreme end of the cover remote from the outlet of the tub even more effectively than if the diagonal tie itself were anchored at such points.

To make the main cover element adapted for use with either right or left handed rangements of the faucets and drain outlet are used, I preferably employ a second angle member, 3l, which, as shown, is secured to the cover at the end opposite that having the angle, 3l, and I also provide additional apertures, 40h, in the angle rails, 40, for receiving the hooks, 39, when their arrangement is reversed for engaging the hook 26, with a drain outlet at the other end of the tub.

To permit access to the cover holding` means and for adjusting it in operative or releasing position, the main cover, 13, is formed with a pair of longitudinally spaced openings, 41 and 42, both adapted to be covered by a single closure member, 43, which is provided with a terminal offset portion, 44, engageable underneath the main cover at the end of the opening, 41. Y

The closure element, 43, is of sufficient width to overlie the openings and of such length that its opposite end may be slotted for engaging a hasp, 46, secured to the cover for receiving a padlock, 47, so that this closure element may be locked to prevent unauthorized access to the turn buckles, 28 and 36, which may be manipulated for tightening or releasing the holding ties by which the cover is held down onto the tub.

It is to be understood that the tie members for holding the cover element, 13, against upward movement are suficiently tensioned by their turn buckles, 28 and 36, so that the cover is held in relatively tight engagement with the upper surface of the tub and the end shields, 14 and 15, but capable of being shifted laterally in a direction transverse to the sides of the tub and away from the adjacent wall, so as to facilitate finishing the surface of said wall, and likewise when said wall surface has been finished, the main cover ele ment may be again shifted laterally in a direction toward said wall, so as to ensure that the felt stripping, 22, will be brought in close contact with the wall for complete protection of the finished surface of the tub. To limit the lateral shifting of the main cover in a direction away from the wall, the angle rails, 40, are preferably dimensioned and arranged so that the depending leg will be caused to abut against the edge of the transverse portion, 14h, of the side skirt, as indicated in Figure 6.

To ensure proper positioning of the shields on the tub preparatory to putting the main cover element, 13, in position thereon, it is desirable to provide some inter-connection between the two shields, and for this purpose the curved portion, 15c of the end shield is provided with an outstruclr lug, 15e, adapted to overlap the adjacent edge of the depending slrirt, 14, of the shield, 14, when the extreme end of the depending skirt, 14a and transverse portion, 14", are positioned to overlap the corresponding adjacent edge, 15, of the end shield, 15, and its transverse portion, 15b. This interlocking connection between the two shields thus assists in maintaining them in proper position on the tub, and causes the shields to reenforce each other.

I claim:

1. In combination with a bath tub installed adjacent a wall, a temporary protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, and holding means extending from the under side of the cover provided with fastenine means disposed in the cavity of the tub and adapted to prevent upward movement of the cover, said holding means being such as to permit a limited range of lateral movement of the cover relative tothe wall.

2. In combination with a bath tub installed adjacent a wall, a temporary protective cover dimensioncd to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, anchoring means extending from the under side of the cover adapted to be secured jas from within the cavity of the tub to hold the cover against upward movement, said'anchoring means being adapted to permit a limited range of lateral movement of the cover relative to the wall, and means precluding unauthorized release of the cover.

8. In the construction defined in claim 1, stop means for limiting lateral movement of the cover in one direction.

4. In combination with a bath tub installed adjacent a wall, a relatively rigid protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, saidcover being positioned with its marginal edge in spaced relation to the wall for exposing a portion ofthe upper surface of the tub, flexible padding secured to the said marginal edge of the cover and extending laterally beyond it for overlying the exposed surface of the tub, and means for securing the cover to the tub against unauthorized removal. Y Y

5. In combination with a bath tub installed adjacent a wall, a temporary protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, anchoring means extending from the und-er side of the cover adapted to be secured from within the cavity of the tub to hold the cover against upward movement, but permitting limited lateral movement thereof relative to the wall, for exposing a. portion of the upper surface of the tub, and padding such as felt or the lilre, secured to and extending laterally beyond the marginal edge of the cover and dimensioned for substantially overlying the entire of said exposed surface of the tub at one limiting position of the cover, said padding being adapted to be displaced to permit shifting said cover to its other limit of movement.

6. In the construction defined in claim 5, means precluding unauthorized access to the anchoring means.

7. In the construction defined in claim 5, said padding being detachably connected to the cover to permit replacement thereof.

8. In combination with a bath tub having a substantially vertical exteriorly finished surface, a protector for said surface including a substantially rigid depending skirt portion overlying said surface, and a transversely extending portion at its upper edge, adapted to overlie the upper edge of the tub, and a pair of spaced rigid hook members secured to one of said portions and arranged to engage the inner surface of the tub cavity.

9. in combination with a bath tub having a substantially vertical exteriorly finished surface, a protector for said surface including a substantiallyv rigid depending slrirt portion overlying said surface, and a transversely extending portion at its upper edge, adapted to overlie the upper edge of the tub, 'a pair of spaced rigid hooi; members secured to one ofcaid portions and arranged to engage the inner surface of the tub cavity, and padding for spacing the skirt portion and the hooks out of direct contact with the surface of the tub.

10. In combination with a bath tub having a substantially vertical exteriorly finished surface, a protector for said surface including a substantially rigid skirt portion positioned to overlie said surface and having its lower edge terminating distance above the floor, and flap of flexible padding secured to said lower edge of the skirt portion and extending sufficiently below said edge to cover the remaining exposed portion of said linished surface.

11. In combina-tion with a bath tub installed adjacent Va wall, and having a substantially vertical finished exterior surface terminating adjacent the wall, a protector for said surface including a relatively rigid depending shirt portion substantially overlying said surface, and having one edge terminating a short distance from the wall, permitting exposure of a small area of the finished surface, and astrip of flexible padding connected to said edge of the skirt portion for overlying said small exposed area adjacent the wall.

12. In the construction defined in claim 11, said padding being detachably connected to the skirt portion.

13. In combination with a bath tub installed adjacent a wall, and having anexteriorly exposed lateral surface parallel to the wall, a shield for said surface including a shirt portion positioned to substantially overlie said surface, means connected to the skirt portion and engaging the inner surface of the tub cavity for preventing removal of said shield in a lateral direction, a protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tubcavity and engaging the shield, means extending from the under side of the cover and anchored in the tub for holding said cover and shield against upward movement, said anchoring means being arranged to permit a limited range of lateral movement of said cover relative to the wall.

lll. In the construction defined in claim 13, said cover and shield having inter-engaging stop features for limiting the lateral movement of the cover in one direction.

15. In combination with a bath tub having exteriorly exposed finished side and end surfaces, shields for said side and end surfaces, each including a depending skirt for substantially overlying said exposed side and end surface respectively, means for supporting the shields in place 0n the tub, a protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, and engageable with said shields, and means extending from'the under side of the cover adapted to be anchored in the tub for holding the cover and shields against upward movement.

16. In the construction defined in claim 15, said shields having interlocking features for maintaining them in proper relation to each other.

17. In combination with a bath tub installed in a corner adjacent two contiguous walls, and having exteriorly exposed finished side and end surfaces, shields for said side and end surfaces, each including a depending skirt for substantially overlying said exposed side and end surface respectively, means for supporting the shields in place on the tub, a protective cover dimensioned to serve as a closure for the tub cavity, and engageable with said shields, and means extending from the under side of the cover adapted to be anchored in the tub for holding the cover and shields against upward movement, said anchoring means being adapted to permit limited lateral movement of the cover relative to one wall without releasing said shields.

18. In the construction defined in claim 17, the marginal edge of the cover adjacent the wall toward which said cover is movable, terminating a distance short of said wall, and a strip of flexible padding secured to said marginal edge of the cover for overlying the exposed upper edge of the tub adjacent the Wall, and adapted to be displaced by movement of the cover toward said Wall.

19. In combination with a bath tub installed in a corner adjacent two contiguous Walls, and having exteriorly exposed nished side and end surfaces, shields for said side and end surfaces, each including a depending skirt for substantially overlying said exposed side and end surface respectively, said shields each having transversely extending portions connected to the upper edges of the skirt portions and adapted to overlie the upper edge of the tub, means connected to the shields and engageable with the inner surface of the tub cavity for precluding removal thereof in lateral direction, a protective cover dimensionedv other.

' JOI-IN H. MCCANN. 

